Uttarakhand famous tourist spot might be renamed soon

What’s in a name, you ask? Everything! Names are fundamental identifiers and frequently reveal a lot about an object or location. Recently, the government has been renaming streets, stations, and locations. Many names from the British era are now being changed or restored with the idea to rule out imperial vestiges. Similar to Lansdowne, Kalon Danda is a proposed name change for one of the most popular and sought-after hill station getaways, Lansdowne.

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For the locals, though, this is a recent adjustment. Before the British renamed it, Lansdowne, the place was formerly called Kalon Danda.

In order to rename them in accordance with the local culture, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has inquired about the names of towns, highways, etc. that were given during the British era that are located within the cantonment regions of Uttarakhand.

At the beginning, known as Kaludanda after the Garhwali words Kalu (Black) and Danda (Hills), Lansdowne was established and given that name in 1887 by the then Viceroy of India (1888–1894), Lord Lansdowne, and by 1901 it had a population of 3943. The British constructed Lansdowne to serve the Garhwal Rifles’ recruit training facility.

During the British era, Lansdowne was a key location for the activities of British Garhwal freedom fighters. Today, this is where the renowned Garhwal Rifles of the Indian Army have their regimental headquarters. Since the British arrived in India, Lansdowne has gained popularity and is one of the country’s quietest hill destinations. In contrast to most hill towns, Lansdowne is both secluded and well-connected by motorable roads. It is located in the Pauri Garhwal region of the state of Uttarakhand at a height of 1,706 metres above sea level and is encircled by dense oak and blue pine woods.

The names of Turner Road, Clement Town, and Landour Cantonment have also been suggested for alteration by the MoD. These locations are under the control of the cantonment boards in Dehradun, although a complete list of the current names and an official proposal for their replacement has not yet been sent.